


Episode 0

by ZaliaChimera



Category: The Walk (Game)
Genre: Character Death, Espionage, F/M, I'm the first to write fic I totally get to decide the pairing name right?, Murderpuppies, Pre-Canon, Terrorism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-08
Updated: 2014-02-08
Packaged: 2018-01-11 16:09:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1175083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZaliaChimera/pseuds/ZaliaChimera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How Lawrence became a man on a mission, walking to Edinburgh. Spoilers up to Episode 23</p>
            </blockquote>





	Episode 0

**Author's Note:**

> Really guys, if you haven't finished up to at least the end of Episode 22 (The Long Home), this is hugely spoilery. (Reuploaded because of formatting error)

The old man dies easily. 

It's much easier than he expected. Three shots, head and heart, long practised and at pretty much point blank range, he can't miss. It's messy though. They never really show you that in films, unless it's one by Tarantino or something. There's blood and _ugh_ brain and fragments of skull spattered across the Professor's desk and the floor of his office.

He feels a bit sick actually. He's never killed anyone before. Well, not anyone he knows well. A couple of traitors who'd been passing intel on them to the authorities, but they barely count as people do they? The Professor though...

“All you had to do was give me the damn box,” he mutters as he holsters the gun and goes over to try to find it. One little device, so many problems. This could all have been so much easier. He stares down at the corpse of Professor Emanuel for a moment, nudging it with the tip of his walking boot. “You could've helped us,” he adds reproachfully, frowning down at the body. “Was that too much to ask for?”

“Did you find it, love?”

He goes still, letting out a soft breath, and he glances back over his shoulder, smiling warmly at the blond woman who's entered the room. “Not yet baby. Think he put it in the desk somewhere.”

Marianne returns the smile and drifts over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a deep kiss. God she tastes good, sweet, like no-one else he's ever been with.. That's not really a surprise though, is it? She's one of a kind, his Soleil. 

She slides her hand into his, squeezing his fingers as he rummages in the bottom drawer of the desk one-handed, finally finding and pulling out a small fire safe which he sets on the table.

“Not exactly top security, is it?”

Marianne laughs, a beautiful sound, and leans down to take the key from the body of her father, kept on a small bunch of them in the pocket of his suit jacket. There's no hesitation, no fear, just wonderful certainty.

He tugs her back in for another kiss once she has it. “God, I love you.”

“I know,” Marianne replies, and she strokes her fingers through his hair. “Love you too.” She slides the key into the lock and it opens with a soft click.

“Black box. Communicator. Great. Thought it'd be cooler actually.” It all looks sort of ordinary. Like a decent smartphone. 

Marianne pulls it out, careful not to activate it. Not yet. “I think it's pretty cool,” she says.

“Yeah, I guess,” he replies and then pauses, brushing his hand against her shoulder lightly. “Listen, Marianne. About your dad. I'm- I'm sorry. He wouldn't give it to me. Wouldn't listen.” Doubt flickers across his face for a moment. “I thought he had more respect for me. I thought he trusted me.”

“It is... unfortunate,” Marianne agrees, her expression going distant. God, she's so brave, so _generous_ even when it causes her pain. “But he got in the way of a greater purpose.”

“Your vision,” he says softly.

“Yes,” Marianne says, and she gives him a pained smile. “But I have you, baby. He didn't respect you. I do.”

“I know you do, Baby,” he replies adoringly. “No-one does, not like you do.”

“I forgive you,” Marianne says, lips curving into a perfect smile. She leans in to kiss him again, a soft peck on the lips. “You did what was necessary.”

He lets out a breath that he hadn't realised he was holding, thick with relief. “So, what now? I just touch it and...”

It seems far too simple.

“Yes, once you leave for the station, you should activate it. Get in touch with the Controller.”

“Your sister.”

“We think so,” Marianne says, an unhappy look on her face that he wishes he could wipe away. “She never would listen to reason either.”

“We'll show her, baby, I promise.”

“How can I doubt it when you say it?”

He laughs softly. “So once it's activated, it's off to Edinburgh. The long way,” he adds with a grimace.

“You will be fine,” she says firmly, patting his cheek. “We have intel that at least one other device should be at the station. You'll figure out who it is. We will drive them out for you and then... you know what to do.”

“Yeah,” he says, his expression tightening. He gives her a worried look. “And you're sure about this? About sending _me_. I mean, I'm not exactly a spy. I don't want to let you down, baby.”

“You won't,” Marianne says. “I've got faith in you. _I_ know you can do it. And I trust you. You're my right hand, love.”

Why had he ever worried? “Of course, baby. Of course. For you I can do anything.”

For the most amazing, visionary person in the world, who wouldn't?

“Good,” Marianne says. “I got you a present.”

“Oh? I do love a nice surprise,” he replies, grinning at her.

“Close your eyes and hold out your hand,” she says teasingly.

He just looks at her for a moment, amusement playing on his lips. Marianne looks back expectantly until finally he laughs and closes his eyes, his hand outstretched eagerly.

Something drops into it, cool and metallic and a chain drapes over his fingers.

“You can look now,” Marianne says after a moment.

He does, peering down at what she'd given him. “A pocketwatch?” he asks curiously. “I mean, it should survive the _thing_ but...”

“It's a transmitter,” Marianne says, flipping it open to show him the very authentic looking clock face and gears. “I made it. You can send transmission to our agents and we'll keep track of you with it. Not too close and we won't give you away, not until we have the devices in Edinburgh, but it _would_ look strange if no-one came after you.”

“I understand,” he says solemnly. “Act like I'm really on my own out there. Being hunted. And out to protect this thing for Queen and Country,” he adds derisively. But the pocket watch he holds as though it's the most precious thing. She's given it to him after all.

“Yes. Get as much information as you can from- from the Controller, see if you can find the locations of the other devices. Try to meet up with them and if you do, sow distrust while you wait for us to catch up with you. I doubt they'll have been told much. It shouldn't be too hard to make them have doubts about what they're doing.”

“Got it. I won't let you down baby.”

Marianne beams and it is beautiful to behold and all for him. She doesn't smile like that for anyone else.

“I know you won't, love. Now go. You've got your train ticket. Just... act surprised.”

“Got everything.” He grabs the camping rucksack he'd packed and shoves the watch into his pocket, then pauses for a moment, just looking at her. “Love you baby. Can't wait to see you again.”

“Love you too. Be safe.” She kisses him, a lingering thing that stays on his lips as he turns away and heads out.

It's only once he's left the building and is heading towards the train station that he stops and examines the device. It looks kind of dead right now, but that should change and well, as soon as it's linked...

One down.

The earpiece he checks over for a moment. Looks sturdy, but he's pretty sure he can figure out how to disable it if he needs to. Get some privacy. He slides it in. There's static for a moment, and then a few electronic beeps as it presumably activates and then a voice comes through.

[Can you hear me there?]

“Uh, hi?” he says, and the apprehension isn't all feigned. This is the biggest operation that The Burn has conducted.

[Good. I'm Charlie Fraser, based in Geneva and I will be your primary operator for the duration of this assignment. I think you should have been told about me.] She's got the same lilt to her accent as Marianne. Familiar and weird all at once. So this is the sister who's ruined things.

“Nice to meet you,” he says instead of any of the things he wants to say. “Um, Professor Emmanuel, just gave me this thing. He said it was important and I needed to take it to Edinburgh.”

The lie is easier with each word that he says.

[Good. He said that he would find someone. Now, let me just get the systems in your box to scan your biodata and we'll get you a codename generated.]

She hums softly, and the box beeps. Perfect. [Mmmm, nothing bad on our database. A Ph.D. Student at the university. Nothing terrible that I can see. A warning for shoplifting in high school. My my, how naughty.]

“Hey, that was one time! And I felt terrible about it.” He complains, hiding the relief he feels. Nothing's made it onto anything official then. None of his activities with The Burn. Good.

[Alright. I am just going to generate a codename for you. Safer than using real names, in case The Burn are listening in.]

His hand slides into his pocket, fingering the watch that Marianne had given him.

[Lawrence. Yes. From now on, you are Lawrence.]


End file.
